Bequests

Animals play an important part in our lives, providing companionship, unconditional love and support.

Most people think that legacies are all about death, but to the animals in our care, legacies mean 'life and happiness'. Remembering animals in your Will is a powerful way to leave a lasting legacy of love, hope and kindness for the countless sick, injured, abandoned and abused animals in our community. If you want to show your support for animals after you have gone, now is the time to prepare a Will that will ensure your wishes are honoured.

Preparing your Will...Adding SPCA Marlborough to your Will is as easy as it is important. Before you start, you should always seek the assistance of a Trustee or Lawyer, to ensure your wishes are clearly and correctly recorded. The information below is a guide only.

The main types of gift you can make in your Will are:

Residuary legacyThis gift refers to what is left over (the ‘residue’) in your estate after all the expenses, debts and other specific bequests have been settled. A residue may be shared amongst other beneficiaries. This is a popular choice as it automatically adjusts to the changes in the value of your estate.

Specific legacyThis is a gift of a specific item or group of items, such as artwork, jewellery, stock and shares, vehicles or even a home.

Pecuniary legacyThis is a gift of a specific monetary amount which will require constant revision due to inflation or changing circumstances.

To ensure the wording in your Will accurately describes your intentions, the following clause should be included:

I give, free of all duties, to the Marlborough Branch of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Incorporated, for the general purposes of the Society:

and I declare that the receipt of the Secretary or other appointed officer of the Society, shall be full and sufficient discharge for the said legacy.

I further declare that at the date of my death or the date of distribution of my estate, any charity named in my will does not exist or has amalgamated with another charity or has changed its name, such legacy or residuary gift shall not fail but my trustees shall pay it to the charitable organisation which they consider most nearly fulfils the objects I intended to benefit.

N.B. SPCA Marlborough is a registered charity with the NZ Charities Commission. Our number is CC 23016.

Updating your Will...

You don't need to add a bequest for SPCA Marlborough. You can simply add a clause known as a "Codicil" to include our organisation. A Codicil, once witnessed, signed and returned to your solicitor, is a formal addition to the principal Will and allows for simple adjustments to be made if required.

Remembering your pets...

When making or changing your Will, please don't forget your pet. Family and friends often do not know what to do with your pet once you are gone. If you have a friend or family member who is willing to care for your pet after your lifetime, please ask your lawyer to specify this in your Will. If you don't have anyone in mind, you can ask your lawyer to specify that the Marlborough Branch of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Inc. will become the new owner of your pet when you can no longer care for it. We will do everything possible to find an ideal new home for your pet. You might like to write a letter and keep it with your Will to outline your pet's likes, dislikes and vet history to help us find their new “forever home”.

Please let us know...

If you choose to make a bequest to the SPCA Marlborough in your Will, we would love to know. We appreciate and value your support, and will add your details to our mailing list (unless specified otherwise), so we can keep you informed of our current activities. Please send your name and contact details, (including your phone, address and email) to our email or post it to: Administration and Finance, SPCA Canterbury, P.O. Box 16880, Hornby, Christchurch 8441.